


Day One

by AwatereJones



Series: Kaboom Verse [1]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Action, Alt Verse, Angst, Drama, F/M, Gen, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9449258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Just another day at the office...until a bomb changes everything. Set mid season one, this is an Alt Verse where the team find themselves fleeing the fallout of a dirty bomb while adressing the relationships within the team.Drama, angst, suspense, humour...yeah...smut heh hehe...and Gwen will be Gwen.





	1. Zero Hour

Just another slow midday in Torchwood Cardiff.

Ianto was in a world of his own, filing as he spoke to Tosh via Bluetooth.

"If Owen is still hanging off that railing tell him I think Myfanwy rubs her arse on that one" he said with a conspiring giggle and he listened as she called it out and Owen howled faintly.

"Moved like greased lightening" she giggled.

"Well, I am sure he could just go get a really big stick or something to impress her" Ianto said calmly as he checked another file and Tosh sighed as Gwen entered the conversation. They both knew she was the reason for Owen's hijacks lately, showing off for her like a baboon displaying its arse.

Ianto flicked on the screen nearby and keyed in the hub CCTV, watching Owen stalk about in front of Owen.

"And here we see the Juvenile Harper clearly displaying his strength as he struts, his posture one of extreme arrogance and power" Ianto said in an uncanny Attenborough voice, "It is said that their kind mate prolifically but only once per person due to the disappointment."

Tosh's face contorted on the screen and she opened a file quickly to hide her mirth as Owen continued to preen, unaware that he was being watched.

"See, the one foot forward so the crotch is prominently displayed, the socks shoved down the front earlier doing their job effectively" Ianto drawled and Tosh coughed politely to hide a laugh.

Owen had reached Gwen's desk and he shoved his hands in his pockets as he leaned forward to look over her shoulder.

"And now the classic scratch and sniff" Ianto stage whispered as if the world was watching from behind some branches, "Look. He scents his 'hopefully one time disappointed mate to be' while covertly scratching his wee balls. See the nostrils twitch, trying to see if she is aroused or if it is just the shrimp from her lunch lingering."

Tosh slid from her chair, trying to walk calmly for the kitchen as she squeaked and kept a hand over her mouth.

"He is invested now" Ianto hissed, "It's make or break and…there…a quick perv down the boobies she has so classically just adjusted for him with her elbows. Oh, definitely some unsatisfying rutting ahead."

"Ianto" Jack's warm voice filled the coms, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing Sir"

"Really?" Jack keyed in the CCTV for the archives and saw Ianto hunched over a screen, so he changed the perspective to ghost Ianto's monitor and he was shocked to see Owen leering down Gwen's top.

"What are they doing now" Tosh hissed, unaware Jack had spoken to Ianto on secure, "I can't bear to watch."

"Er, he just tipped the coffee over her actually" Ianto sighed, "Luckily it is cold. I really thought she might like that blend. Maybe it's like pissing on her leg, you know?"

Jack backed up the footage and coms, listening to the last few minutes of fun as Ianto resumed filing and Tosh regained her composure.

By the time Tosh walked back to her workstation she was calm and Ianto was silent as Gwen came back from the locker-room in a fresh set of clothes and Owen morosely slammed about in the med-bay.

"How long has that been going on?" Jack asked.

"Since she arrived" Ianto snorted, "They did the deed after …well. The cannibals shook us all up. Tosh doesn't know, she still thinks it's just an infatuation. I am trying to let her down gently, I think things are about over between the two of them. Gwen is definitely cooling."

"Shit" Jack leaned back in his chair and frowned, "Talk about an absentee employer."

"How were you to know what they do after hours sir" Ianto reasoned, his warm voice soothing, "After all. I was a clever sausage long enough."

"Ianto…"

The Hub went into amber alert as klaxons sounded and Jack swore as the team raced to see what was happening.

UNIT sent though a warning that a suspected terrorist cell they had been tracking was leaving London and they should be on the lookout for them.

Pictures, files and stats flicked across the screens as Ianto and Tosh stood side by side with fingers flying over their matching keyboards, gleaning as much as they could and implementing it into their system as Gwen watched was awe.

Even Jack stopped cursing as he finally realised Ianto was not only keeping up with his wee genus, she was giving him the lead. Ianto called out over his shoulder, "This stuff is weeks old, why are they giving it to us now? Shit, this data could have been useful days ago."

Finally Tosh stepped back and turned to Ianto. "I don't like this sudden caring and sharing."

Ianto tapped a few more times and then stepped back as well.

"Keep on the facial recognition software Tosh, I'll head down to the archives. There is a safety protocol for this. If this is a dirty bomb they're carrying we need to know all the contingencies. Her Majesty's service updated it just a few months ago so it won't take long to find it."

"OK, I will keep inputting the pictures" Tosh nodded.

"Gwen, get onto Swanson" Ianto swung to address Gwen who blinked with surprise, "The Heddlu will have no idea, this is flagged a covert. Share the blue file, blue for police blue line. Correct? Remember, share the blue file to her directly with a warning of urgency. We have a long day and night ahead of us."

Gwen turned to Jack, "Can he do that? Order me about?"

Jack looked at her with confusion, "Gwen. Ianto is my second. Did you not realise that? Have you really not read the handbook yet? In a time of national emergency the roles go according to seniority. The only person here with the most Torchwood hours under their belt, bar me of course, is Ianto. He survived Canary Warf remember. He was not ordering you around. He was giving you a task."

Ianto was unaware of the gripping session as he tore through the archives and the back room and he keyed in the code, stepping onto the vault and taking a moment to calm himself.

This was bad.

Really bad.

He pulled open the top drawer to a heavy metal cabinet and checked inside, cursing as he remembered he had dropped it low for rereading and he knelt, opening the bottom drawer with the top overhead like a shelf. He flicked a file up into it and sorted about for the Buckingham Palace one.

He stopped.

He canted his head as he listened to a strange whooshing noise and he turned his head to the right to try and pin point it.

Then …..

The world went away.


	2. 1.15pm

 

Ianto woke to darkness.

Strange when he remembered such brightness.

He shifted and cried out as his ankle bit back and he reached down his leg to find it pinned under something. With a soft groan of pain he pushed with his other foot and it gave, shifting away as his searching fingers told him it was a wooden box.

A wooden box?

He remembered one up on the shelf behind him.

Ah shit.

Ianto reached into his pocket for his keys and the small key-ring torch was soon showing him his dilemma.

The shelving had collapsed around him. The only thing that had saved him had been the open drawer above his head, catching the large shelving unit as it has tipped. Everything had spewed onto him and he was sure a few ribs had suffered with falling debris as well.

He rolled his ankle to test it and felt the flame shoot up his leg.

OK.

Not good.

Ianto reached for his Bluetooth and cursed as he found his ear bereft. He started hunting for it, knowing he was stupid to leave without it, possibly getting stuck or lost if the archives were all in this shape.

He found no sign of it on the ground around him and he was almost frantic when he remembered the drawer had been open. It seem that when the archives collapsed and he was thrown forward, he had pushed the drawer shut

Praying to gods he wasn't sure even existed anymore, he pulled the drawer open and shone the torch around.

There.

Thank the gods.

"Jack?" he croaked, startled by his own voice.

"Ianto!" Jack sounded out of breath like he had been running, "Where are you, are you hurt? Tell me where you are. Tosh get me a location for his Bluetooth."

"Um, back room in the royal drawers. Er…M to O. Where are you sir?"

"Coming for you, stay there" Jack demanded, "The place is unstable. Just stay calm"

"Sir, I appear to have hurt my ankle and don't think I could move if I wanted too. I am pinned under shelving but other than the ankle I am OK." Ianto soothed, concerned by Jack's panicked voice.

"IANTO!" Tosh's voice crackled, "Oh god. Oh god. Are you OK?"

"I'm OK" Ianto answered, "Owen may have some work for a change though."

"Just stay there!"

Ianto threw his hands up in annoyance, hadn't he just made it clear he wasn't going anywhere?

He must have dozed off because he was startled by a scraping sound and he woke with a snort.

"Sir?" he called softly, then canted his head as he heard it again.

"I'm coming Ianto" the voice was calm, soothing and definitely too far away to be heard outside of coms. Whatever was making that noise it wasn't Jack.

"Sir, I don't mean to alarm you but…the cells are secure right?" he asked softly, trying to listen for the noise again, "Only. I don't think I'm entirely alone down here."

"Fuck" Owen huffed down the line, "I'm at the cells now. Janet's still here but that juvenile male we picked up the other night is gone, the ceiling came down and he's gone up."

"Well, up and then down I guess" Ianto sighed, "I can defiantly hear claws scraping."

"You got your sidearm, right?" Gwen sounded sure of it and Ianto felt a twist in his gut.

"You were the one who put forward the vote to disarm me. Remember? Cyberman girlfriend in the basement? Threat to humanity? You also voted to Retcon me and dump me somewhere." Ianto huffed out as his fear shut down his brain filter, "Luckily I get to keep my memory like a good little servant. I'm good enough to keep this place running, just not good enough to be still allowed to arm myself."

"Oh my god" Gwen gasped, as if now just realising what no weapon for an agent meant.

"You know, I could have killed you at any time, right?" Ianto decided he may as well settle in, "Poison in the coffee, gas in the air con. It really hurt that you thought I would be stupid enough to just step up and put a gun to your head. Might have been nice right about now. Never mind."

"Ianto I…"

"It's OK Gwen. He's almost to me now." Ianto snorted, "Getting a bit pissed off with something in his way by the sound of it. Another few minutes and you will get your wish. I will pay for my sins. Gods, I deserve to. I prayed for death in that tower. Daleks and Cybermen stomping about killing each other as well as any of us they could find. Watching friends have their heads ripped off, turned to ash or converted. Death isn't so bad. Not really. Might enjoy the silence finally. All that screaming in my head gets a bit loud, you know?"

A clawed hand broke through the darkness and the shelving shifted slightly.

"Ianto I forgave you" Jack was desperately throwing himself at the debris blocking his entry to the secure archives, heaving hunks of masonry behind him as Owen helped clear, "Hang in there. I'm coming."

"It's OK Jack. I still haven't forgiven myself you see." Ianto sighed, "Oh Cariad. He's here."

"IANTO"

"I am sorry sir, please believe me. I am sorry that I hurt you" Ianto whispered as he braced himself, his hands against the shelving as he closed his eyes and turned from the slashing claws millimetres from his face, "I never wanted to. You were the only nice thing left to hold onto in the darkness. I deserved to lose you too. It hurts but I do understand your anger. Please don't hold onto it. Please. I … I meant it. Those whispered conversations in the dark. I did mean it."

"IANTO!" Jack was screaming.

"I really did care for you Sir."

Finally a claw caught his jacket and started to yank as Ianto gave in. As he started to scream with terror Jack threw himself into the barely large enough hole knowing it may collapse in on him at any moment but Ianto's words were ringing louder than his screams now were.

Jack had to save him.

Damn it all, he loved him too.


	3. 1.30pm

Ianto's face was slammed against the shelving again, the crease along his eyebrow from the last two strikes opening more.

Not that it mattered to Ianto.

He was loose and floppy as his body heaved and the Weevil snarled as it got a handful of hair and yanked, only to find that the hole was too small to drag the unconscious man through. It drew back and threw itself against the shelving, making the shelves groan and teeter on the drawer, the drawer itself making a horrible tearing sound as it started to buckle as well.

Soon, nothing would matter to Ianto at all.

The Weevil leaned back into the larger hole, hooking and arm and dragging the body close enough to try again, yanking Ianto out and as he got a good look at him he seemed to hesitate, perhaps recognising him as the one who provided food.

Jack fell into the room and found the weevil leaning over the prone body of his part-time lover. Its nostrils flaring as it examined the face of its handler. Then it opened its jaws and starred to descend. Jack didn't think twice, not caring as Owen cried out with alarm. Jack moved effortlessly, raising the Webley and firing. The weevil flew back and Owen ran for Ianto, pulling at the collar of his shirt to search for a pulse.

"Still with us" Owen barked over his shoulder as he yanked at Ianto's lapels and tried to wake him.

Jack scooped him up and headed back up towards the main Hub where he found the two women huddled together with wide eyes.

"I can't reach Rhys" Gwen said as they appeared, "The phones are down, everything's down. What do we do?"

"Not now" Jack snarled, carrying Ianto down and carefully depositing him in the table.

Owen checked him over with a PDA, muttering as he got to his ankle.

"What about his head" Gwen said pointing as if Owen might not know what a head is, "He's bleeding."

"Just a scalp lac. This ankle has a piece chipped off, see?" Owen turned the screen in his hand so Jack could see, "It's floating but if I bind it, maybe I can keep it still with a boot cast and it will set back."

"Do what you have to but make it fast" Jack said as he swung to look up at Tosh, "You got the CCTV going up there?"

"Nothing" Tosh replied and Ianto moaned softly as Owen gently applied the boot.

"Hey" Jack said softly and Ianto blinked at him with confusion.

"Wha…wha was tha?" Ianto slurred.

"We don't know" Jack replied, "I think …gods, I think it was an explosion."

"Oh god, the dirty bomb?" Ianto sat up and slapped at Owen, "What…wait. Myfanwy!"

Ianto had noticed the partial collapse of the roof and Jack grabbed for him, "She was out. IANTO!"

Ianto stopped struggling and looked at him as he spoke, "She was out. She was out in the country somewhere sheep hunting. Tosh lost her tracer long before the blast. She's safe."

"Gods" Ianto sighed, slumping back, "Sorry."

"It's OK. I know you have a soft spot for her" Jack patted his shoulder.

"Tosh?" Ianto called out, "How does it look up there?"

"No eyes on" she replied and he frowned, then canted his head.

"What about the remote drone we used in Bute Park the other night. It was stuck in that tree and we couldn't be bothered retrieving it. See if it was shaken loose." He suggested and she lit up, racing for the workstation and Owen moved to stand next to her as she powered it up.

"We have control" she called out and Ianto slid to the edge of the table and grimaced. Jack offered his arm, knowing he would not let him carry him, no matter how much easier it would be and they awkwardly made their way up to the main hub floor to watch on the big screen as the drone headed back towards them and then paned around the Plass.

"Shit" Ianto said with uncommon anger, "Look! What a fucking mess."

"Oh my god, those people" Gwen was already moving and Jack looked at her with confusion.

"Gwen, what are you doing?" he asked.

"We have to help them!" she said, throwing her arms wide theatrically.

"How. They're dead" Owen replied.

"Don't be stupid, I can see some moving" she spluttered.

"It's not the blast that killed them" Ianto sighed, "Although they were dead the moment the blast hit them. They just don't know it yet."

"Fallout" Tosh whispered with sorrow.

"Up top is radioactive" Ianto said with a finger pointed up, "They are already starting to cook like in a big microwave. They are gone."

"Rhys" Gwen whimpered.

"Maybe he was long hauling across to Newport" Ianto was already clicking through things then he opened a com line and she heard static.

"Breaker Breaker, this is the Tourist place calling Rhys Williams, Rhys Williams do you have ears on, over" Ianto said and she realised he had somehow patched into the CB waves.

"Ianto?"

She slapped her hand over her mouth and swallowed.

"Rhys don't get out of the cab. Where are you, over?"

"Ah, about half an hour from Newcastle to drop my load. What's up Ianto, over?"

"Turn off the air con please and check the fuel gauge. Do you have enough to not have to refuel while in Newcastle on Tyne, over?" Ianto was working on the keyboard as he spoke, calculating.

"Ah, yeah mate. No worries. I have just under half a tank. Not enough to get back though. What the fuck is going on, Over?" Rhys seemed calm.

"Bomb. Cardiff is levelled, we are OK. The fallout is fast moving so floor it and go like the wind, hopefully faster than it. Head for Newcastle on Tyne, when you get there I will have worked out where we can hunker down. Over"

"What about London? Me parents?" Gwen asked.

"No. Sorry, within the fallout zone" Ianto said sadly and Jack grunted. "We would never get there before the wind."

"No, there is time for the outer areas if the winds keep blowing in our favour" Jack said as he headed for his office and he hoped like hell Alice still had the satellite phone he had given her.

As he sat and pulled the organiser closer he found himself pulling out Ianto's sister's address.

Maybe Alice would have time.

It was all a matter of time now.

Never a Timelord when you need one.


	4. 2.00pm

Jack returned to the hub floor to find Ianto and Tosh feverishly working again, talking …scales?

"Ianto?" Jack said softly, "Report?"

"The underground parking level is closed off, when the tower collapsed it sealed us in" Ianto said as he moved from one workstation to another, "I am hoping this means the air is still pure. No air con as no power up there, our aux power is only active down here. If I can transfer some lower to…there. The inner docks are coming online now."

"Docks?" Owen asked with surprise, "What the hell do you mean, inner docks?"

"Torchwood has an interior dock. Where do you think we keep put the boats" Ianto said without looking over at him, "Damn it. Wish we still had that submarine that was sunk in the sixties when…oh. Right."

Jack made a small noise and Owen swung to gape, "You sunk a submarine?"

"Had to" Jack shrugged, "The world depended on it."

"Right. Um …the River Queen II. I know you don't use her much but she has an internal cabin. If we can make her airtight, we can sail from the safety of cabin and take her along the coast to meet Rhys" Ianto said as he shuffled to another keyboard and Jack suddenly realised what he was seeing.

A handsome man in a suit jumping around a console with several controls.

Ianto reminded him of the Doctor.

Is this what had attracted him to him in the first place?

No. In Bute Park he wasn't wearing a suit but now he watched with a soft smile forming as Ianto showed that a madman in a suit is still a beautiful thing.

"Right. Jesmond Dene Park" Ianto finally said, pulling Jack back to the real world, "A valley nestled out of the way. Natural spring water and we can camp out until this blows over, pardon the pun."

"What about the people who are there?" Gwen asked.

"Evacuated, most of lower England will have been moved by now" Jack nodded, reaching for his phone to call a certain lady who would give them permission to requisition what they needed.

"Jack" Tosh said softly, "I think a second bomb has gone off, oh god. Are we at war?"

"Jack? Is this a Torchwood matter or a 'get out of Dodge' matter" Ianto asked with unease.

"A 'get out of Dodge matter'" Jack huffed, "This does not concern us. This is bigger than us. Let's slip out the back door and keep our heads down until it's all over. Lizzie had given us a Royal Decree to do whatever we damn well please to get safe."

"Lizzie?" Owen frowned.

"He means her majesty ya twat" Ianto snarled, running a hand around the back of his neck as the other hand was planted on his hip, looking edible.

"Huh?"

Jack's phone chimed and he glanced at it and smiled as her royal seal showed on the screen.

Sorted.

_Go. Get him safe…I mean them safe._

"Right, plan?" Jack demanded as he looked at his chosen second and Ianto nodded as he swung to look at Gwen and Owen.

"I need the two of you to gut the SUV" he said as Jack groaned softly, "Sorry Cariad…I mean. Sir. We have to ditch the bitch. We load as much as we can into the boat, ah. Right. Come on, let's go see how she is, might need refuelling. Ah, yeah. We will need to make sure the spare tank is full too."

They followed Ianto down through the levels and he limped to a segment of wall then retrieved a set of keys from his pocket and froze as he stared at them. He fingered a little key with a red dot on it. "Jack"

"Yeah?"

"Fuck." Ianto slumped, "Flat Holm will be gone too."

Jack swallowed as he nodded and pretended not to see Owen's look of interest or Gwen's. Ianto opened a small flap to reveal a lock, the blue key slid in and the wall slid back to reveal a water dock, several different vessels bobbing in the water and diving gear neatly stowed.

"Right, see the large blue one?" Ianto said as he walked swiftly towards it, "River Queen II, she is capable of doing the job. Get onboard, see the storage and fill every nook and cranny with anything and everything we may need. Tosh, you get to fill the tech side. You know what we need there, Owen medical and Gwen general like camping gear etc. Jack, paperwork and weapons, I will do food and provisions…Owen. Janet if you can find a secure cabin she can't break through then load her first or just let her go in the sewers. She will be safe if she doesn't go topside."

"I wanna keep her" he pouted.

"Fine. Go." Ianto felt his ankle throb and knew he would pay for it but there wasn't time to worry about that right now as the clock was ticking.

"Hover trollies" Ianto said and Owen swung to gape, "In the archives, Four of them. We take one each, fill and dump. Go."

They worked for the better part of half an hour and Ianto looked at Jack who was sitting in the cabin with the putty on his fingers nodding his satisfaction.

They were all sealed in, Janet roaring below as she tried to decide if the crewman's cabin needed more damage done to it.

"Did you not tranc her?" Tosh hissed and Owen told her that he had but the weevil was pissed.

"Right, come on kids, play nice" Jack grinned as the satellite phone rang.

Two chimes.

Alice was moving.

Jack felt himself start to relax as another set of chimes started.

Three.

Three extras on board.

Gods he hoped they were Ianto's family.

He decided not to say in case it wasn't them but someone else Alice had visiting or something.

Ianto was stoically comforting Gwen as she realised her parents were gone, the reality settling in. Owen took over and Ianto gratefully slid closer to Jack until he could see the controls.

"My mother is probably gone too" Owen said after a while as Gwen heaved with grief, "Bitch."

Ianto ran a mental list in his head of all they had on board as the boat nosed its way towards the large sealed docking bay doors and they slowly swung up to a bay full of dead birds.

Ianto struggled with his emotions as he looked out over the poor creatures.

Why was mankind so cruel?

Jack pretended not to notice as Ianto covertly wiped an angry tear away and he turned her bow towards the mouth of the bay.

And towards their pick-up point.


	5. 3.10pm

_**Up to 500m from explosion (hypocentre): Area completely destroyed and burned down. The city centre was wiped out immediately. There are no shops, offices, roads or life remaining.** _

_**Up to 1km: This area was also completely destroyed and burned down. Houses surrounding the city are no more. The city's parks, hospitals, university and council offices have been destroyed. Residual radiation remains in the air and soil, even after a long period of time after the explosion. The people who were the closest to the blast would have received the highest amount of radiation. Even if a person entered Cardiff and came within 1km of the hypocentre, 100 hours after the bombing, they will be exposed to high radiation.** _

_**Up to 1.5km: The radius of total destruction carries on to 1.5km.. The fierce blast of wind, rays of heat reaching thousands of degrees, and deadly radiation crushed, burned and killed everything in sight and reduced this entire area to a barren field of rubble.** _

_**Up to 2km: Area is half destroyed by the blast** _

_**Up to 3km: Fires raged across the city. Some areas have burned down while others have been half destroyed by the blast, even beyond 3km, physical damage has been caused.** _

Ianto knew he should stop reading the secure messages as they flooded the UNIT lines but he and Tosh were transfixed as the numbers rose.

"Oh God" Tosh whispered, "Are you seeing this?"

"Yeah"

"What?" Gwen asked weepily so Ianto turned up the volume on the radio as Owen leaned forward to listen as well.

_**Estimated fatalities:** _ _**22,890.** _ _**Estimated injuries:** _ _**78,090.** _ _**In any given 24-hour period, there are approximately 250,736 people in the 1 psi range of the most recent detonation. We have to assure that these numbers will rise to reflect that. The third detonation is the most lethal, per body count.** _

"Oh my god" Gwen said with horror, "Surely not."

_**Those even as far away as 5 kilometres from the epicentee got a 500 rem radiation dose; without medical treatment, there can be expected between 50% and 90% mortality from acute effects alone. Dying takes between several hours and several weeks.** _

Owen slumped as he rubbed his face. "Fuck."

"Whoever did this was smart, so smart" Ianto muttered as he leaned back, "set one off in lower Cardiff, then another a few miles from the first …make everyone panic and evacuate up to England, set off a second cluster there to get the sheep all clustered together."

"Yeah, there will be pockets of survivors and there will be international help but not for a while" Jack huffed, "Not for the outer regions."

"Nope." Ianto shrugged, "We have to look after each other I guess."

"Well, I guess we are pretty fucked then" Owen quipped, "Camping doesn't sit so well for us."

Ianto laughed softly as he flopped into a chair theatrically.

"We are getting close to the rendezvous point" Jack said as he sat at the helm and Owen huffed.

"Thank fuck for that" Owen said dryly "Her crying is getting right on me wick."

The boat came to a small dock and Rhys was waving them in, Gwen clambering to get off and Jack had to grab her before she fell into the drink, "For fuck sake!"

Finally he let her go and she fell into Rhys' arms.

"Where is the truck?" Tosh asked, looking in the direction of the car park.

"At the house, you were right Ianto, it's a bloody belter!" Rhys said happily, "I managed to pinch this wee SUV, I know you like those."

It was not Black Beauty but it would do the job and Ianto was touched that he would do this to please Jack, his captain's delight evident as he ran over and stroked the dark red paintwork.

"Right, I will need to knock the bitch out to put her in the boot" Owen said and Rhys stepped in front of Gwen protectively. Ianto was the first to laugh as he realized the mistake.

They were soon on their way as Rhys drove back the way he had come, "By the way, that sister of yours has a gob on her the size of a fucking elephant!"

"Sorry" Jack said automatically, "Alice has her father's temper."

"Nah, I meant his" Rhys said as he swung into the gravel parking lot for Jesmond Dene Park.

"Uncle Ianto!" a little girl was screaming excitedly as she ran from the children's play ground and Ianto fell from the SUV with open shock as he knelt to accept Micha's hug.

"You shouldn't be outside munchkin" he said lifting her onto his hip and heading in nervously, finding David slumped in a chair with a look like thunder and Rhia standing nearby with her mouth open.

"Right" Jack said as they appeared with gear, "Ianto is right. Let's seal her up. The winds are still working for us but we can expect some fallout by tonight, or early morning. Hopefully it will blow over."

"Fallout?" David looked up with sudden interest.

"Dirty bombs create radiation, it carries on the wind" Alice explained as she walked in with a tray of food, "We need to stay inside for a few days just to be safe. Damn, I should have thought of that."

"You did the best you could" Jack soothed, wanting to hold her but afraid of a brush off, "Good job Melly."

"We need to seal the windows with tape, the water source for this old place is drawn from an underwater spring but we need to check the food in here, if we need to do pillaging we need a good idea of what we need to lock in for at least a week or …two? Tosh?"

"Yes Ianto, I would rather two with the outside sensors assuring us it's all good the whole time" she nodded.

"Any fluctuations and the count restarts at zero for zero. Right? We need two weeks of clear before I am happy to let us out, even with hazmat gear. We have no wash bays so we need to trust the air and dust we are carrying in and out of the hazmat gear bay we set up." Ianto said calmly, "Agreed?"

"Well done Ianto" Jack nodded, "Agreed."

"And how would a servant for the tourist board know all this?" Rhia asked.

"Don't be a bloody idiot" Rhys snorted, "Ianto is Torchwood, like me girlfriend."

Ianto froze as his sister slowly turned to stare at him with wide eyes.

"Cool!" David said with excitement, "So you have a gun?"

"Come see" Owen beckoned, "I even have an alien in the back of the SUV!"

Ianto just didn't know if things could get any worse and then Owen remembers Janet.

Fucking epic.


	6. 4.30

"The Jesmond Dene House was a wealthy businessman's mansion in the 1800s. It is now a luxury hotel. The visitors centre includes an exhibition space, classroom and offices. Adjacent to the Visitors Centre is Millfield House café and toilets." Ianto spoke to Jack as he stood at the large window staring at the building and judged the worth of a recon.

"Ianto?" Jack said softly as he moved closer him, "Thoughts?"

"Classroom in there, café in that one there" he pointed as he talked, "The kids are going to go insane in lockdown and I am not happy with the food. I think going into the town centre is unsafe, there could still be looters, and I don't want us smelt out or followed back."

"I should go" Jack nodded, "Safer."

"And how would that look?" Ianto sighed, "You know Owen would demand to go with you, or Gwen. We both know neither of them know what a child plays with these days and Gwen would want to keep the fluffy fucking animals at the petting zoo."

"Ah, there's a petting zoo?" Jack's grimace made Ianto face palm.

"OK, we can save some. Seriously Cariad!" Ianto huffed and Jack felt something shift in his gut at the term of endearment that had slipped out, "OK. Maybe we see. We check the air. The generator should last. We don't need to go for fuel for a while, Rhys pinching that fuel tanker was a stroke of genius. Good to know we have a man who does not sit on his fucking hands."

"The seals are in place" Tosh said as she stepped inside, the large plastic tent flapping softly as the wind picked up.

"Almost out of time" Ianto muttered to himself, but Jack caught it, "We have to hustle"

"Then suit up, even if it's still safe we have to put the fear of god into those little ones so they don't try and escape" Jack said softly as he let his hand slide to the small of Ianto's back, "We go fast, hard and dirty."

"I bet you say that to all the boys" Ianto said dryly as he moved off to change into more comfortable clothes. The hazmat suits were so uncomfortable.

Jack laughed softly as he followed.

_His cheeky tiger hiding behind his pinstripes._

They got the bulky suits on and Tosh double checked their seals, then stepped back as Rhiannon watched with open fear.

"It's OK Rhia" Ianto said though the tinny speakers, "We won't be long."

"But ...but it's dangerous" she spluttered.

"Rhiannon…please. Not now" Ianto said as he turned to hold back the plastic sheeting for Jack and they stepped into the tent where Owen was waiting.

"Right, don't be heroes, don't be wankers" Owen said as he stepped through to Tosh's side, "Come back, yeah?"

Ianto gave a thumbs up and Jack saluted as they stepped outside.

"Clear" Tosh said quietly into their coms and they headed for the classroom and Ianto was glad to find it had been all locked up tight, meaning the air was probably safe too. He placed the air sensors on some barrels outside the door for Tosh. They packed as much as they could into airtight bins and placed them on the large trolley that was clearly for moving large boxes about, then headed for the house to unload into the tent, placing more sensors outside the house.

Then the café. Ianto had argued that the petting zoo should be last as the inside animals got the least exposure and they could help unpack. The food was good, even with electrics off as the large walk in blast freezer had only gained a few degrees in the cool spring air.

Then they headed back to the house and unloaded into the tent as Ianto noted the bins already gone, Owen and Tosh scanning and checking them, finding them safe.

Petting zoo. Ianto and Jack walked calmly into the small animal room and rabbits, guinea pigs and even a baby goat looked at them hopefully as a cat yawned in fake disinterest even if it was sitting in its own food bowl. Two more came out from under the cages.

"Shit, they must be starving" Ianto sighed as he moved towards them then froze as Jack held up a hand.

A noise.

They moved quietly to peek into the outside pens where the lager animals were and Jack swore softly as they observed men dragging the carcass of a pig past.

"We can't lead them back to the house" Ianto whispered.

"No. Shit" Jack looked in the cages again, "Shit. The locks were in place so they've not come in here. They don't know about these. We take them and any food then fall back, yeah?"

"Jack!"

"I can't look those kids in the eye knowing these are starving to death in their cages" Jack hissed.

"I know" Ianto shrugged, "Just thought it looked good if I was the parent here saying no. You know I already have that baby goat pegged as Owen's favorite."

They loaded quietly and covered the cages with the tarps. Then as they went to leave they saw a second truck rolling on for the kill.

"Shit." Ianto gasped with horror as it turned in the driveway for the house before turning back to stop. They told the others what they were seeing and Owen echoed their explanative several times.

"Ianto, you go back" Jack said softly, "I'll wait. They see you, I open fire. They don't see you, I will follow."

Ianto hesitated and looked back, "You had better sir! You know I can't give you a good luck kiss in this thing,"

"Ianto Walter Jones!" Rhiannon's voice shrieked down the coms and Jack started to snigger as the patented eye-roll was employed.

"OK, Go tiger."

Ianto went.

.

.

.

.

I know I am changing the layout of Jesmond Dene but this is an Alt Verse and I have rearranged things to suit me. My boys, my mud pit.


	7. 5.45pm

"Come on" Owen hissed as he stood at the corner of the plastic tent, his face squashed against it and the semi—automatic heavy in his hands.

Ianto was moving swiftly but with stealth, hard to do in a hazmat suit and sore ankle … _Oh Yeah …don't tell Owen but he cut the boot off upstairs. Shhhhhh._ Owen had to give him props for making it look easy. As Ianto got to him he motioned Owen and Owen stepped back through the second seal so Ianto could enter the tent, turning to motion Jack.

Jack ran, pausing to flick a sensor into the back of a truck.

Ianto was on a knee, his gun held calmly in the direction of the looters and he was ready to fire through the open tent door as Jack slid past and patted his shoulder.

Ianto turned to follow fluidly, their training together weevil hunting showing as they anticipated each other, the tent sealing and the weed sprayers being used to sprat down each other's suits before moving into the house, the plastic covering the cages left on the floor of the tent. The entire exercise was effortless as if rehearsed.

Once inside, the kids were cooing at the animals as Jack helped Ianto from his suit helmet and as Ianto gasped for air, Jack tore off his own and lunged, kissing him gleefully before stepping back and continuing to get undressed.

"Uncle Ianto?" David said, "Are you a Nancy boy?"

Jack froze, one foot out of the suit.

"Yes David. For Jack, it appears I am" Ianto answered without blinking, "I love him and I don't care that he is a boy, not a girl. When you love someone things like that don't matter anymore."

David looked at him and then nodded, "Can I have the black bunny?"

"Sure" Ianto said as he balled up the suit and shoved it into the empty crate waiting, "Mee-mee, you pick too. The rest can go in that conservatory out back with the half dead plants. Doesn't matter what they destroy for fun then."

"Cool" the kids said and Tosh smiled as she moved the trolley in that direction, the kids following as Stephen silently eyed the cage of pissed off cats.

"That's what I love about kids" Jack sighed as he handed Ianto his own suit to add to the crate, "They accept things because they make sense. They don't go all holier than thou."

"I have never lied to them…well, apart for the fact that I work for an elite team of alien hunters answerable only to her majesty that routinely saves the world. But …you know" Ianto quipped and Jack laughed softly.

Rhiannon shakily took a seat as she watched and listened, that Jones technique was inherited apparently.

"So, I am so hungry" Jack sighed as he filed away the wee slip and loving that Ianto had declared his love for him without even thinking about it, "You think they will come this way?"

"Owen, you good on duty there?" Ianto asked as Owen grunted, standing in the window watching the men down below with intensity.

"You know Tosh will have the sensors all on line, she was probably setting them up as we dropped them. Any movement towards us and we will know" Jack soothed, "Come on tiger pants. You've not have breakfast or lunch because of that file you were updating, the dark is coming and we are out of time."

"Those idiots out there are probably already contaminated" Ianto huffed.

"Our concern is us" Jack reasoned, "They are leaving, look. Probably scared of dusk starting."

The trucks drove off with crunching gravel into the rising mist and Ianto folded his arms. He stood thinking and then turned to Jack.

"I should have thought of a way to block this cul-de-sac at the gateway." He said angrily.

"The truck should do that" Rhys answered as he went to walk past "The one I came in. It's just sitting over there, more than long enough to go across the entrance."

"If you don't think it's an advertisement." Ianto said softly

"Ianto is right, closing and chaining the gates only" Jack agreed, "If they see it barricaded they will only wonder what it's protecting."

"Yeah." Ianto nodded.

"Shit hadn't thought of that" Rhys frowned, "Now the meat is gone, you think they'll be back?"

"Hopefully not" Ianto said as he turned to smile at him softly, "However we will need fires lit as the temperature drops, they may see smoke."

"Then we only stoke them up at night" Rhys reasoned, "During the day we keep them on a low smoulder and wear extra clothing, keep busy and watch for signs. Shit, wish there was a way to see what was happening."

"Yeah" Jack said as he rubbed his face.

"Didn't we get some remote control toys from the gift shop?" Ianto asked kneeling at the bins stacked along the wall, "Cars and some little planes?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, we attach a wee camera and go exploring then" Ianto snorted. "Even when the batteries die, we have cameras set up about the town then. At least outside the gates."

"Drones." Jack grinned, "Clever boy."

"GPa always said, you have to be ready" Ianto said as he looked up at him, "He took me camping and stuff as a kid. Why I took Lisa camping, lucky to find a bird who liked my Parkour, free climbing and other madness."

"Who the fuck are you talking about" Gwen snorted for the doorway to the kitchen, "You? Free climbing?"

"Ianto is more agile than you think" Jack grinned, "When we go Weevil hunting, we really go weevil hunting. Ianto can out manoeuvre a fully grown adult. Like an interpretative dance sometimes."

Ianto's blush was sweet.

"Our grandfather was a survivalist" Rhia spoke, alerting them to her presence, "He said one day we would have to use our brains so we better have something in there to use."

"Sounded like a great man" Jack grinned.

"Come on" Ianto rose and stretched, "I am starving, tired and on the verge of cranky."

"Oh well, we better feed you" Jack snorted, "Noting worse than a cranky pants, especially a tiger pants one."

"Stop calling me that or I'll smack you one" Ianto growled and Jack laughed as he was proven right.


	8. 6.00pm

"Rhia?" Ianto said softly as he watched her stir a pot.

"I'm OK" she snuffed, wiping angrily at a tear rolling down her face.

"Sure, just seasoning the soup, right?" Ianto teased as he stepped closer, "Johnny?"

She nodded and he pulled her into his arms, letting her cry softly against him while reaching around her to stir. They stood for awhile and then she pulled back, showing the Jones backbone being employed.

"It was quick" Ianto said quietly, making sure the kids were still in what was now called the Pet Pen, "He would have heard of the first blast, probably been trying to unload to get back to you. It was only twenty minutes. He would have been heading up from the office to the car. You know he is …was a creature of habit. That bloody kitbag would have been retrieved, a watch of the telly in the smoker's lounge and then he would have remembered to go home. He probably even tried to call you but the phones were down and he would have either been in the office, heading to the car or already in gridlocked traffic heading home. The hour long drive would have been impossible. Even without the second explosion, he would have taken hours. The fallout from the first blast would have hit, if not the shock wave. Tosh is estimating that it may have travelled that far. He might have been gone before the second one even went up."

"I just keep seeing him…screaming and falling and…" she shuddered.

"It's not like that." Ianto assured her. "When you are in an explosion all you feel is surprise. Believe me. I've been blown up and no, I won't tell you about it. I am here. I was trained how to react, but these dirty bombs? If I had been topside instead of an underground secret base, I would be toast too. So would you. Alice wouldn't have had her f…brother's phone call to bug put and snatch you up on the way."

Ianto stopped talking and canted his head, frowning, "Is that a dog barking? I thought we swept this bloody place. Ah, the basement."

They headed towards the commotion and found Owen struggling against the door to the cellar as something slammed against it.

"It's not Janet, she's out back in the old washroom, fuck!" Owen said as it slammed again and Ianto stepped back as Owen lost traction and the door swung open to allow a pissed off dog loose.

It immediately saw Ianto and approached, hackles up and snarling.

"That's enough of that" Ianto said calmly, "Behave. You hungry? Want a bickey?"

Ianto held up the chocolate chip biscuit he had swiped from the plate as he had passed it in the kitchen, then he flicked it at the dog who caught it and hungrily devoured it.

"So. We swept the house but not the cellar" Ianto asked.

"Didn't know there was one" Owen spluttered "Fuck it would have eaten me!"

"He's just a big slobbery monster" Ianto said in a baby voice, "Yes you are!"

The dog looked up hopefully and Ianto gave up the second biscuit. "Owen go look now. There may be more, there may be someone down there too. Or he was locked in because they thought it was a drill and would come back for him."

"Yah, they wouldn't have let him on an evacuation bus" Owen agreed, flicking the light switch inside the door and Gwen followed him down as Ianto knelt to examine the dog.

"Brutus?" Ianto asked as he looked at the tag, "Christ on a stick. OK. Hi Brutus, you are a brute."

The dog wagged hopefully.

"Right, I bet you are busting …shit." Ianto frowned, "You can't go out. Shit balls."

"There is a second glassed garden area off the side, like a growing area. Tables, pots and stuff. Dirt floor." Rhia said as she flicked her fingers, "He will be OK there?"

"Good call" Ianto nodded, "Stephen is vying for a way to ask about the cats being loose inside too. Maybe we can have the door open and it can be a big litter box, we clean it as we can."

"Cats?" Alice asked from the doorway "Oh my god, he's huge!"

"A cage with three cats came back with us from the petting zoo" Ianto said as he rose to look at her, slightly unnerved by his lover's eyes looking back from her scowl, "He is too shy to ask but is obviously a cat person."

"Yes he is" she agreed.

"Right" Jack sighed, rubbing his face wearily, "It's getting late, dark out there so let's eat while the sensors keep a check. We can talk after?"

"Agreed" Gwen said and Ianto frowned as he glared at her.

She still needed to learn chain of command here.

As Ianto limped past Jack frowned as well, the same thing running through his mind.

Gwen had to learn to accept Ianto.

Or it wouldn't work


	9. 6.45pm

The food had been tasty and filling, the children enjoying the vast array of ice creams that were slowly melting.

"Tomorrow we can have smoothies" Rhia reasoned as she accepted that these were the least of their worries.

"God, I could sleep for a week" Ianto sighed as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands like a child himself.

"Not surprised. You were blown up, buried alive, almost eaten and then mildly irradiated" Jack snorted and Ianto laughed dully.

"You are already asleep, look at how sunken your eyes are" Jack sighed softly, "Come on Yan. I know that look. You are barely gonna get your boots off."

"Boots" Owen said, then rose to look at Ianto with horror, "Fuck! You've been working on a broken ankle without your corrective boot ya wanker!"

**CRACK**

Owen stood gobsmacked as well as headsmacked as Rhia lowered her hand and placed it on her hip like the other one, "You watch your goddamned mouth mister or there will be soap in your next cup of coffee!"

Owen blinked and then roared with mirth as he pointed at Ianto, "She sounded like you, did ya hear that? Except you say decaf!"

Ianto smiled affectionately at his sister and rose to hobble over and kiss her cheek softly, "I love me Rhi-rhi"

She blushed and hugged him, then looked down at his foot, "You are hurt. Did he just say that's broken?"

"Ah, just a bit" Ianto grimaced and Jack wiped his mouth with a napkin and rose, bowing over the table.

"Ladies" he said softly, "What a glorious feed. I am beat. Who wants first watch? Owen has been on watch until Rhys took over now. Gwen? Tosh?"

Tosh put her hand up and smiled.

"OK. It's …what. It's just after 6. Tosh, until half past ten. Gwen, you can do until midnight and I will do until 5 or 6 n the morning when Owen has rested and can…"

"what?" Gwen spluttered, "That's not fair! What about Ianto!"

"Ianto is dead on his feet…well… Foot. Have you forgotten his injuries received during the bombing Gwen?" Jack leaned back and frowned, "His ankle is broken yet he was walking on it all day. Remember?"

Gwen coloured as Rhys sat up with shock from where he was listening while watching the window, "Bullshit! Really?"

"It's just a chip off the bone" Ianto shrugged and then Owen narrowed his eyes.

"Bed, now!" Owen demanded, "We will take the shifts since Gwen is too fucking delicate to remember her training at the moment."

"I'll take from 6am onwards Dad, I'm usually up then anyway" Alice said and Ianto glanced over at Rhys who seemed to have missed the slip along with his cow of a woman. Owen hadn't as he pursed his lips and flanked Ianto, then nodded to show he was going to let it slide.

"So, Ianto. Let's take a look at the ankle and see if you've managed to fuck it …" the crack was getting familiar and Owen sighed softly.

"Yeah" Ianto rose.

"You know … I should make one of these reception rooms a medical bay" Owen said as he looked out the door at the other rooms, "Next time any of us goes out we will need iodine just in case. Also, I will feel happier if I can check you over."

"The one at the end of the hall has a massage table and stuff" Alice said as she leaned over her father for his plate, "Looks like a clean room."

Owen and Ianto went to look and Ianto levered himself onto the table with a groan of pleasure, flopping back. "Right then. Heal me!"

"Shit your sister can thump" Owen said with a snort of amusement, "No wonder you duck so well."

Ianto giggled as he agreed, then groaned as Owen manipulated the ankle.

"Bastard, you cut it off" Owen sighed, "Should have remembered the hazmat suits are snug."

"You know Jack would never let you go" Ianto scolded, "You are too important."

Owen glanced at the Captain leaning in the doorway and knew as well as Jack who the most important person was so he simply nodded as he mixed a paste.

Ianto sat up, "What are you doing?"

"You cut the boot off. I'm fucking fixing you good this time!" Owen muttered as he turned with the bandages soaking.

"Awww, a cast?" Ianto whined.

"Next recon or whatever, if you are still laid up Cooper can do her bit" Owen said angrily, "The cow has done nothing but hang off him since we got here!"

"Owen" Ianto said softly, "He is her boyfriend. You knew that already."

Owen glanced up at him and then back to the task at hand.

"Anyway" Ianto continued as he glanced at Jack, "Tosh has her eye on you ya know."

Owen snorted, "Like that would ever happen."

"Why!" Ianto demanded angrily, "What's wrong with her!"

"No ya numpty" Owen laughed softly, "I mean, she has no idea I'm alive."

"Oh Owen" Ianto snorted, "You are the one with no idea."

Owen's hands stilled as he looked up at Ianto with open surprise, then he slowly smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" Jack answered as he entered and checked how Ianto was only with a hand signal that was lost on Owen.

Ianto's flicked finger answer of yes was good enough.


	10. 7.30pm

Ianto would have liked a shower but the cast…he settled for a good wash down and headed into the room with his name written on a post-it attached to the door.

He found Jack folding back the comforter to a large old fashioned bed, turning as he heard Ianto limping in and moving to one side. The deep red and gold material seemed decadent, almost crass given their present predicament but for some reason it seemed fitting that they had this room. The curved head and foot of the bed was a dark redwood with cushions thrown haphazardly on the floor.

Ianto made a mental note to make sure they were picked up. _Didn't want to be rude to their unsuspecting hosts who might still be alive and trying to get home, right?_

He was still full, tired and bloody angry. He didn't know why but a desire to scream was bubbling up, the gentle kiss from Jack before he stepped away cut it off like a switch, taking the buzzing in his head away too.

Jack examined the cut above his eyebrow, now looking a lot better and he smiled as he saw Owen's neat work _. Might not even scar_.

"I found some PJs and a robe, I know you like to be covered" Jack said nervously, "Also…socks. Their gift shop does not skimp."

Ianto saw some red and cream tartan PJs neatly laid out and a pair of soft woolly socks. _Despite the end of the world, Jack remembers his cold feet. Well. How the fuck was that going to work with a fucking cast Owen? Huh?_

"Well, I can wear one at least" Ianto griped and Jack grinned at the sullen pout as Ianto reached for the PJs. He knew Ianto was still angry about the cast and he wondered if he could MacGyver something for the cast toes. He would search the place tomorrow. _Gotta be a craft room, sewing machine? Needle and thread?_

Ianto noted only one side was turned down "Where are you sleeping?"

"Well…"

"Don't be stupid" Ianto sighed, "You know I won't sleep much either. Maybe together we can find some black beyond the static."

"Your sister…"

"Is a big girl, or haven't ya noticed" Ianto smiled as he let the towel drop and Jack helped him wrestle the PJ bottoms over the cast.

"Jack, I know…I mean." Ianto was floundering and Jack tried to understand why, "I'm so tired and I…"

"Oh baby" Jack sighed, "It's OK. I don't need sex either right now. Just cuddles yeah?"

Ianto slumped with relief, "It's not that I don't' want to it's just…I would rather enjoy it."

"I know" Jack grinned, "Me too. Maybe tomorrow will be better. After all, we are still here, right?"

"A sleigh bed" Ianto said as he let Jack tuck the covers back over him, "I always wanted to sleep in one."

"Yeah?" Jack said softly, "I once slept in a real sleigh. Cold in Alaska, I had two sled dogs tucked in with me though."

"Hmmmm" Ianto made a noise that showed he was too tired to talk anymore and Jack hurried to get undressed. After thinking for a moment he pulled on a fresh pair of boxers, not wanting Ianto to think he had changed his mind and then he slid into the other side of the bed.

They lay there in the dark, listening to the wind whistle around the eves. They both knew the radiation was whistling as well, brought by the wind. When the soft patter of rain started it was almost a relief.

"Tosh was spot on" Jack sighed softly, "The rain from Cardiff has travelled with the wind. That means the radiation is already being leached away."

"The water table?" Ianto asked softly.

"Owen will check it Tiger" Jack assured him, "Try to get some sleep. We can't change the fallout with worry. Just knowing the ash will not reach this far as the rain has forced it down into Cardiff and the surrounding area is enough to hold onto now, right?"

"Yeah."

They lay there a bit longer. Then, "Jack?"

"Yes love."

"Did we do enough?" Ianto whispered, "I mean. Babies in here, ya know? Is there enough or them? Are we doing enough?"

"Hey, you'll go mad" Jack scolded as he reached out and pulled Ianto into his arms finally, "Stop thinking. Stop. If it's not enough we will do more, better. Tomorrow with clear heads when we can logically look at the problems and solve them."

"OK" Ianto yawned, rubbing against Jack in a non-sexual way that was a gentle rock Jack knew was his comfort rocking. Jack rubbed his back and started to sing softly until the rocking stopped and the breathing of his armful of sweetness deepened. Evened out. Settled.

Then.

Finally.

Jack slept too.

-END DAY ONE-


End file.
